


Strength to Spare

by aprilleigh



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 15:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10574037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aprilleigh/pseuds/aprilleigh
Summary: Set during Blood on the Scales, Helo, Caprica, and Hera make their way from the brig to Baltar's groupies while everyone else attempts to take back the ship from mutineers





	

**Author's Note:**

> For sabaceanbabe for being such a lovely person and for giving so much to the fan community. And becasue she asked for this. ;) And thanks goes to 2raggedclaws for the beta- you rock!

They wait. Footsteps in corridor. Gunfire, distant at first, then surprisingly close. Voices yelling, trailing off, and then silence. Lights flicker, and boot steps thunder down the hall, away from them. The squeak of a door, and a shiver runs through her and almost breaks her resolve. Caprica breathes in and out. Helo takes a step forward into the opening, to the dead man in the corridor.

Helo gestures for her to follow. “Grab his gun,” he tilts his head down to the man at his feet, eyes and gun focused down the corridor.

Caprica swallows hard. She steps forward, and still holding Hera to her chest, she reaches for the man’s handgun. She holds it out to Helo, handle first.  
“No, for you.”

Caprica shakes her head. “Cylon with a gun?”

Something crosses his face, and his voice is low when he says, “For Hera. For Athena.”

She grabs the gun and fingers the safety, adjusting to the weight of it in her hands, metal still warm from the man at their feet.

He glances briefly over his shoulder at her. “You ready?”

Caprica takes off her shoes and hands them to the little girl in her arms. “Hera, can you carry my shoes for me? It will help us be quiet. Be quiet as possible.”

Hera smiles, lips tight together, index finger against them. “Quiet,” she whispers. 

“You’re being such a good girl. So brave.” Caprica pulls Hera tight against her and looks to Helo. “Ready.”

* * *  
They run through the corridors, Hera in her arms, Helo next to her. Helo holds the gun steady as they round corners.

They cross another threshold, and then there is a man with a gun pointed right at them. Helo’s shot hits him in the shoulder. He fires again and the bullet pierces the man’s neck and he collapses, blood pouring from his wounds.

Seconds later, Helo is fighting hand to hand with a Marine, and Caprica is on the floor. She falls hard, steel grating cutting into her knees, one arm outstretched, the other holding Hera tightly against her. Caprica hits the floor, but Hera does not, and for half a moment Caprica feels only relief and not the screaming pain of her knees or the back of her head.

Next to her Helo and a Marine are on the ground wrestling and she has no idea where her gun is.

“Take your shot Hedrics!” the man on the floor grasps out between Helo’s hands at his throat.

The man that took Caprica down takes the butt of his rifle and knocks Helo out. Helo falls, dead weight against the other man. “We take them alive, remember?”

Caprica pulls away from Hera. “Close your eyes. Be small.” She whispers into the child’s ear before grabbing the shoes pressed between them.

She leaps up, shoe in each hand, and slams them together with Hendrics’ neck between. She sees crimson, hears her heartbeat in her ears, and then he staggers backwards, sliding down the wall, shoes dangling from his neck.

Before he has time to die, she strides over to the man still tangled under Helo’s limbs. Fear, rage, and sorrow explode into the urge to kill, and she grabs his neck, breaking it with a sharp twist leaving behind bloody handprints.

She smells the metallic scent of blood and the sour smell of their sweat.The blood’s warm, though it doesn't stay that way for long. It congeals on her hands, sticky and dry and unpleasant.

Helo’s unconscious, but alive. She bends down and grabs a gun, tucking it into her waistband, and then she picks up Helo. She feels his solid weight and she calls up all of her reserve. She projects strength, so she is strong enough.

But just barely.

She turns and Hera is standing there smiling, “Shoes?” and holds up Caprica’s heels. Hera’s hands are stained red, and there is blood dripping down the heels of the shoes.

Caprica doesn’t have the breath to spare, so she just smiles and starts walking.

She wouldn’t have known what to say anyway.

* * *  
The sound of gunfire fades with each step, and Caprica almost feels relief.

And then Hera leaves her side.

Caprica steps forward quickly, walking through an entryway without checking. “Hera,” she whispers. She feels her entire face tighten, all of the muscles contracting at the clenching pain inside her heart. Terrible and tight in her chest. So tight that she can't breath.

"Hera, stay with me.” Hera stops and turns to face her. She smiles and spins back around and begins to run. Caprica blinks rapidly, her vision blurring with hot tears.

“You better follow her, don't you think?” Baltar, the one that lives in her head leans against the bulkhead.

“I'm trying,” she grits from between her teeth.

“I know he’s a heavy burden, but imagine the burden you'd have if either of them dies. Run, run along now.”

Caprica can’t speak anymore because she has to breathe. Hera moves around the corner, and Caprica can only keep taking one step at a time.

A woman with wide eyes and shape of a mother kneels before Hera, and just begins to notice the bloody shoes when Caprica calls out. “Please.”

The woman looks up and her already tense body flinches, and she begins to back up towards the cult’s entrance, pulling Hera with her.

“Maybe the child could say something?” Baltar offers.

Hera pulls away slightly. “Daddy, has owie,” she points towards Helo.

Baltar exhales, and it almost sounds like a laugh. “You know, I like her.”

“He’s her father.” Caprica speaks before they begin backing away again.

From the entrance, more of the group appears. One woman, tall and lanky with an edge speaks. “I thought we agreed this door would not be opened up any circumstances…”

The woman, still clutching Hera stammered, “Sorry Paulla. I…I heard a little girl…”

Paulla stares at Caprica, studying her. “Just take the girl inside Jeanne.” Caprica watches as Hera disappears inside the room and something almost like hope flits across her heart. It’s almost easier to breathe, but not quite yet.

They try to close the hatch, but Caprica steps forward and holds open the door. “He’s her father, and he’s injured.” She falters, at loss for words. “We have no where else to go. Please.” Her voice barely above a whisper.

“Him, not you. If they find you here, they’ll know we helped you.” At Paulla’s words, several members walk over and take Helo inside.

Baltar leans in and whispers in her ear. “They have enough fear, give them your strength.”

“You’re not helping. I’m your prisoner.” Caprica stares a challenge, daring her to call it a lie. She hands Paula the gun. “Think of it: your very own Cylon prisoner.” Paulla smiles and looks down at the gun, and Caprica knows she said the right thing. “You’ll be a hero," Caprica says as she brushes past and through the doorway, and no other objection.

They are safe. Safe as she could make them. She takes the shoes from Hera and goes to wash them clean.


End file.
